Scottish Labour lined up behind the SNP’s bungled attempt to reform the Gender Recognition Act last year and in doing so the party set itself firmly against the majority of voters. Around two-thirds of Scots are opposed to the SNP’s gender bill, but Labour chose to ignore their views and back the nationalists’ controversial legislation instead.
When Scottish Secretary Alister Jack intervened to block reform of the gender bill by Holyrood — on the grounds that changing the law in Scotland would negatively impact on the UK-wide equality act — the Labour party found itself unable to cash in. While the Scottish Tories loudly proclaimed their support for the majority view on self-ID, Labour MSPs preferred not to discuss it at all.
‘Anyone who dared speak critically about self-ID was being smeared as a bigot, so Anas took the easy decision to back the reform. He did this out of loyalty to the party and now he’s been thrown under the bus.
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